Price Paid:  $160.00 from ebay

Summary:
I have two Tivos now - both early hdr112 Philips models (14 hours each) . I added an 88 hour drive to one. I use them for massive time shifters and filters. My kid can watch the stuff I've loaded onto it for him.

Strengths:
Time shifting is the main advantage. Also, digital storage means that you never need to handle a tape again so that one's lifestyle can become even more couch-based.

Weaknesses:
Lifetime service of course means "for the life of the business model" and not the operator's life - so I assume this means a few more years. The old models do not require the service, however, for VCR -like use. The tuner on the Tivo is weak so you need a good signal. There is also a known channel 3 -4 anamoly (funny line) that you might hafta live with. You do know -right? - that the Tivo people can watch a log of what you have viewed. Now that's a little creepy for most of us. I keep mine unplugged from the phone jack and that also helps with lightning strike issues. Despite these negative comments the advatage of the Tivo is too great to resist. If you get one, you can never fly economy (with your time) again.

Price Paid:  $0.00

Summary:
Seems like a good service but the quality of the hardware is terrible: unit's modem went bad within 6 months. Worse, product support from TIVO/Philips is poor to non-existant. Attempts to use the Web page support ended in deadends. Attempts to use phone support ended in long waits. Too bad quality it so low.

Weaknesses:
Product support is very poor.

Price Paid:  $299.00 from eBay

Summary:
Tivo is simply the most amazing piece of home technology I have ever used period. It changes the way you watch television and you can never go back. Pause for a phone call, have it remeber to record your favorite show, watch a football game in 30 minutes...

YOU MUST SURGE SUPRESS YOUR TELEPHONE LINE!!! Not just your power as I did. I lost my modem in a storm as well. Lesson learned. IMPORTANT: You can use an external serial modem to replace it. Tivo built support into release 3 for this reason.

I have had nothing but excellent customer support from them (yes I was very pissed about the modem). They even found a remote code for me when I got digital cable and teh box wasnt listed yet.

Do not buy the Sony as it is no longer in production.

Strengths:
Quite simply improves the quality of your life by giving you better TV in less time so you have more free time. Puts the power in your hands, not the networks.

Weaknesses:
The modem.

Similar Products Used:
I am a home theater, electronic and computer nut and this is my favorite toy.
VHS, S-VHS, VCR+

Price Paid:  $365.00 from Ebay

Summary:
If you do not have a PVR get one! I do not watch commercials any more. Virtually all the time I am watching what I want, not what happens to be on. I watched all the old twilight zones, and now I'm working on some other series I like.

I have not tried other PVRs so cannot compare, but the Tivo has worked great for me the last 2.5 years.

Strengths:
I bought the TIVO because:

1) This is the front runner in this market.
2) They are continually upgrading their operating system. I've already benefitted from several great improvements (for free!).

3) They sell a "lifetime" subscription. I bought that 30 months ago, and have already saved $100. This is a great deal!

4) They are publicly traded company. I did not have TIVO stock before. I have it now (it has gone down a lot with the rest of the market). I bought the stock, because I believe in this product.

Weaknesses:
1) Do not use with a Zenith TV!! For some reason the codes on the Tivo and Zenith remotes are the same. Every 100th click, the Zenith with change channels or to video. I solved the problem by running the Tivo through both video and direct connections.

2) Sometimes they put these "ads" that are optional. I don't mind it, because I can choose to watch them if I like. I saw "Soak up the Sun" by Cheryl Crow for the first time that way. However...some people may not like this, as it does take up space on the system (4 minutes out of 30+ hours).

Price Paid:  $399.00 from bestbuy

Summary:
The TIVO never worked, spent hours on hold just to talk to inept customer support. Returned TIVO, but they still insist on charging me for the service which I could never take advantage of.

Strengths:
Cool product

Weaknesses:
weak customer support, both technical and otherwise. Very long hold times.